Windows are graphical interface components that present objects and actions to computer operators. Windows are presented to operators by way of a computer display or screen. A window in effect allows a user or operator to see an image of an application that has been constructed by the computer.
One advantage of using windows is that plural applications programs as well as plural files can be accessed and used at the same time. Each file and each program runs in its own window. The screen may thus contain plural windows.
The user can adjust the size of the individual windows to see either more or less of their contents. For example, a window can be expanded to maximum size, wherein the window fills the entire display screen. Alternatively, a window can be sized smaller than the display screen so as to permit the viewing of two or more windows.
In the prior art, the size of a window is adjusted in one of two ways. To adjust the size to a maximum (so as to fill the entire screen) or to a minimum (so the window becomes an icon) maximize and minimize icons are provided on the window. The user selects the appropriate icon with the cursor and then requests action. To adjust the size of the window to sizes between maximum and minimum, the user must locate the cursor on a border of the window, request a sizing action to occur and then move the cursor to the selected location while dragging the border along. This drag method of adjusting window size is not very user friendly, because there is no icon for incremental sizing. In addition, the drag method is somewhat clumsy for a user to implement.